This is the forum for the Kidney Patient Guide. We welcome feedback about the site and any information that may be of use or interest to other visitors.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This forum is not for queries that would otherwise be addressed to a doctor. If you have a question about your condition or treatment please consult your renal unit or doctor. We do not have any editorial or medical resources to answer individual queries.

Thanks for the big welcome I am back... after a very fun and amazing 1/2 summer. It was great to see my camp friends from so long ago... As you all can probably relate too, I haven't had much going for me in the friends dept. bc I've been out of school for so much, changed alot, etc. But the last time I've been to camp was before I was sick.. and coming back now after all the bad stuff is behind me, its been reaaaallllyyy good.

For 4 weeks you live with these people. You get up with them in the morning, eat with them, and go to sleep with them at night. And when they're your friends.. well.. its a great feeling.

We had the usual activities.. sports, games, "inside stuff" like crafts & baking, outside stuff like biking, skating, rowing, swimming..etc. Plus some "extras" thrown in pretty often. We went out bowling, on nature trips, amusement parks, go-karting, & even shopping We had "computers" as a rainy day activity once in a while, but it wasn't much. We got to sit down by these ancient computers and play games or play with Print Shop and print stuff on a dot matrix printer. However.. there WAS a pc with internet access, and i did manage to sneak on 3 times this summer when nobody was looking

As far as the weather - it has been real good to us. We had lots of sunshine, but very few "scorcher" days where the temperture hits the high 80's/90's (farenheight). For the most part, the weather was just right. And sunny. As far as rain - we DID get a large share of that. Its better to take the rain though, then to get the heatwave days like we had last summer though. No, I'm not burnt! I've got a very light tan, bcuz - i don't quite know why. I used to tan very easily, and always got dark in the summer, and my hair would lighten considerably, & i'd get alot of blond streaks. I put on sunscreen rain & shine, so that might have played a role. Plus I tried to stay out of the immediate sun, & would stay in the shade alot. Healthier that way I did burn a part on my wrist from a metal tray of cookies I was taking out of the oven. But.. that's a story in iself

The food was "so so". typical mass production sorta food. Breakfast was good, & i'd eat up the entire bowl of oatmeal that was intended for the entire table. but nobody would eat it so i'd eat it all. its okay.. they got my share of pancakes & maple syrup. Lunch was also good. Dinner was another story. its been chicken every night. every variety of chicken. fried chicken, chicken patties, breaded chicken, chicken cutlets, chicken burgers... and well... alot of chicken. okay, not EVERY night, but literally on MOST nights. Well, now you know why I ate so much oatmeal. hehehehe

So, overall, i've had a really great summer so far. I think of you all every day. I feel very special. Bc I look around at everyone in camp, and I smile, bc I had something nobody had. I had a tiny "present box" in my heart, that I carry with me at all times. And you were all inside. A vast network of virtual friends from all over the world, that i know. And that's a lovely feeling. Even though its hard to explain. And that's why I feel special, and lucky. Bc who else can say that? (other then us of course).

Well, that said, i'm gonna wrap up. Bc i'm writing waaaay too much. I'm glad to be back, among civilization (real running hot water, etc) , and on that note, I hope you are all having wonderful summers as well.

I will be more active on the board now that I'm back, and I"m gonna go read old posts now and catch up on stuff. Feel free to all respond and let me know how all your summers are going as well.

Dear Rachel,
So glad you had a wonderful summer... It sounds like you were busy and kept out of trouble! You almost made me cry when you talked about the "present box" in your heart...take care and I hope that the rest of your summer is as special as you are!
Love,
Pam

32 yr cadaver transplant recipient, now on peritoneal dialysis with the help of Audrey, my Homechoice machine... as of 4/3/09
Romans 8:28